OCR Text |
Show Family Weekly Dr. Charles B. Hanna reports that the number of teen-age- rs brought into the Spartanburg General Hospital emergency room for "real catastrophes" has dropped sharply in the past three years. "This is true of my private practice, too," says Dr. Hanna. "Since the Code, I've had far fewer teen-ag- e accident cases due to misconduct." Charles Humphries, assistant superintendent of schools, puts it this way: "There has been no overnight revolution in adolescent conduct in Snartanburir .or anvwhere else. We do see, however, a definite, gradual improvement, particularly among vnunrer - -tt riiMrin" and school officials agree Parents that certain real changes have come about since the start of the Code. For example: While Borne drinking still goes on at dances (where soft drinks .are spiked with hard liquor), not one "explosive" drinking incident has occurred in the junior high and let them speak up freely. Here are some of the things they said: Tony Prestipino, 18: "We needed some brave kids .and parents to start ending parties earlier. Others will follow. It takes time." Dotty Fleming, 15: "It's best to start with younger kids. By the time you're a senior, you're set in ' your ways." Keith Parks, 18; "When I was in seventh grade, there were so many parties I never had enough white Kenneth Cribbs, 16: "I remember in the sixth grade all the girls had high heels, stockings, and lipstick. My sister, who's in sixth how, doesn't 'think of make-u- p and wears Bermuda socks. It's the Code." JoyGuntert 15 L!Bef ore the Code, kids went to drive-inNow they go to homes where they don't have liquor. We're growing up very differently." felt their elders also benefited from the Code. Binky Maness, 17, said: "I think it's more of a crystallizer of ideas. Before the Code, you got as many privileges as you could talk your parents into." Don Coggins, 15, added: "We don't go around talking about the Code. It's more of a general feeling, a kind of backbone.'' Teen-age- rs v 8 schools in the past three years. home parties are being held. The children, especially the ore seventh, eighth, and are conforming to Code suggestions about social life and curfews. Except for cosmetics, the are fourth, fifth, and want to be "Girls the line, toeing a says quick," sophisticated right leader of the Parents League, "and we're still working on the lipstick problem." Girls dress more neatly. No longer does a teacher have to call in a girl for wearing a skirt much too tight for her. DuckUil haircuts among boys, with rare exceptions, are gone. The custom of going steady is declining. Teachers at one junior high school know of only one girl with a steady boy friend. Three years ago, there were " more than a dozen cases. To learn what young people themselves think about the Codes, Family Weekly invited 14 youngsters to a schoolroom after classes ninth-grader- s, sixth-grade- rs - ' Mrs. Perrin Dargan Highlights of tha Spartanburg Cod s. agreed that the Code is fair. JTxThe changes they sought were mf "IT. t shirts." A LL Joy Gunter, IS ic? May 23, 1965 extending curfews for special events like the junior-seniprom and re"The laxing rules on double-datinCode is not the final answer," concluded Binky, "but it's a good start" From the view of adults and teenagers, Spartanburg's Code appears to be serving useful social and psychological purposes. By telling youngsters precisely what is expected of them and what is not permitted, the Code removes uncertainty about standards of behavior. It also helps those parents who do not have the courage to make decisions or accept responsibility. Significantly, the most hopeful comments about the Code came from s. one of the In a flash of perception, Judy Lister predicted: "After a while, whaf s in our Code will be accepted whether it's coming home from a party at a decent hour or not dating until 10th grade. Kids coming up in the future will not know any better or worse. That's really what's so good about our Code." With that kind of future, Spartanburg can continue priding itself or The Spartanburg Code with its guidelines to proper and improper teen-ag- e behavior is being studied with great interest by communities throughout the country. Here are some highlights from the Code: Drinking: "We urge that alcoholic beverages never be served to young people of age." Parties and Dances: Never on a high-scho- ol school night. Adult hosts should be present. No after-danc- e parties. From fourth through sixth grades, afternoon home parties are preferred. Any evening party at this age should be for boys alone or girls alone. No "informals" or dances until the seventh grade. Cosmetics and Attire: For ele girls "use of cosmetics in any form is in poor taste. Formal dress, stockings, and heels are inappropriate at this mentary-scho- age ol sfxth grade." Driving: "Parental consent to drive may be given only when parents know that young people can control both themselves and the car." No dating in fourth Dating: through sixth grades; dating discouraged from seventh through ninth. Parents should ban going steady and midweek dating. The girl's parents should set the comintime. "Drive-i-n movies are g-in desirable" and "closed vacation houses are off bounds." g. . CURFEWS: Grade 4th-5t- Informals or Dances h 6th 7th 8th 9th I Oth llth 12th 930 pjn. 10 pjn. 10 JO pjn. midnight (dance) Home Parries General Dating 8 pjn. 8:30 pjn. 9J0 pjn. 10 10 pjn. pjn. 11 pjn. 1130 pjn. M II pjn. teen-ager- on its "good life." , Mr. Charles Humphries Family Weekly, May tS, 19 9S |